[Valann8766]

I recently got charged with my 2nd DUI, so per my bond conditions I have to go once a week for a EtG urine alcohol screen. So far I have taken the test 4 time and all 4 have come back as "abnormal" or that they couldn't get a reading. I have not used any alcohol since this started and have asked them miltiple time if they need copies of my prescriptions or need to know of any OTC drugs I take, and they always say no, that it should be fine. Now they're saying that since I've had abnormal readings on every test (4 tests in about an 8 day period ) this last result is going to count as a fail and I have to turn myself in to go back to jail, but I don't understand how if they've never had even 1 screen come back correct to go off they can say I've technically tested positive, my first urine test was even submitted less than 24hrs after my arrest and even that came back "abnormal" please if anyone can help, I can't go back to jail, and don't understand what I'm doing wrong for these test not to read, any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

[DrBill100]

That isn't enough information to go on. Abnormal in what respect? Untestable... if so why? Who is doing the collection and who is doing the testing?

[Valann8766]

Abnormal in respect to they can't get a reading and it looks like I'm doing something to mess up the sample, which honestly I'm not! I'm on prescriptions for asthma meds, an inhaled steroid, addreall, and ambien (which I hardly ever take) and also had been doing DayQuil and mucinex

[Valann8766]

Abnormal in respect to they can't get a reading and it looks like I'm doing something to mess up the sample, and there was small ethynol traced but they couldn't get an accurate reading from the samples, which honestly I'm not! I'm on prescriptions for asthma meds, an inhaled steroid, addreall, and ambien (which I hardly ever take) and also had been doing DayQuil and mucinex because was getting over a cold. I offered to do any other tests I could and even said id pay for them all just to prove I hadn't used any alcohol nor was a messing with my urine samples but they told me I had no other options as far as tests go. I understand how 4 abnormal readings would raise a lot of red flags, but I just don't feel it's enough to go on to send me back to jail, ESP when even my very 1st baseline reading came back exactly the same as the rest. How can they say I'm getting charged with a positive result when they have nothing to go off?

[Valann8766]

[QUOTE=Valann8766;3207577]Abnormal in respect to they can't get a reading and it looks like I'm doing something to mess up the sample, and there was small ethynol traced but they couldn't get an accurate reading from the samples, which honestly I'm not! I'm on prescriptions for asthma meds, an inhaled steroid, addreall, and ambien (which I hardly ever take) and also had been doing DayQuil and mucinex because was getting over a cold. I offered to do any other tests I could and even said id pay for them all just to prove I hadn't used any alcohol nor was a messing with my urine samples but they told me I had no other options as far as tests go. I understand how 4 abnormal readings would raise a lot of red flags, but I just don't feel it's enough to go on to send me back to jail, ESP when even my very 1st baseline reading came back exactly the same as the rest. How can they say I'm getting charged with a positive result when they have nothing to go off? And it's the court house/probation office doing the testing.

[DrBill100]

If it is a matter of sample validity (tampering, substitution, adulteration, etc) standard protocol is to obtain an observed sample. That is why I asked who was doing the collection. It should never have gotten to 4 samples. Second should have been observed.

Where did the term "abnormal" come from? Your term... something someone said? I doubt that is on a lab report without specific indicators. What you are describing is a problem at Point of Collection.

I note you said "it's the court house/probation office doing the testing." Do you mean collect sample or test?

[Valann8766]

The lab tech at the probation office observed the sample, age goes into the restroom with you and then takes the cup. I don't know if there was ever an official report printed or not and if so I never saw it. The "abnormal" term came Frm the probation officer, that's all she would say, was that my tests were abnormal and they weren't able to get any accurate readings. That's when she started accusing me of tampering with my samples or using a cleansing system, which again I haven't

[DrBill100]

The lab tech at the probation office observed the sample, age goes into the restroom with you and then takes the cup. I don't know if there was ever an official report printed or not and if so I never saw it. The "abnormal" term came Frm the probation officer, that's all she would say, was that my tests were abnormal and they weren't able to get any accurate readings. That's when she started accusing me of tampering with my samples or using a cleansing system, which again I haven't

The purpose of observed samples is to rule out tampering. If your sample was adulterated (as cleanser) that could be detected by the lab. How long does it take to get the results back from the test... sample to report?

[Valann8766]

The probation office both collects the sample and tests right there on site. You go to the restroom with either the male or female lab tech, they then take the sample directly over to the machine to be read. I was there a total of 5 hrs today and gave 2 separate samples (one at 11;45am and another at 3:15pm) and both came back the same as the previous two, what the probation officer called "abnormal" and they couldn't get a reading off the samples

[Valann8766]

Since they tested immed right in the lab They had my results in ab 30-45mins, possibly sooner depending on how long it took them to come back out to the waiting area and call me back...

[DrBill100]

Is this in Georgia?

[Valann8766]

Is this in Georgia?

In Tennessee, Nashville/Davidson county to be exact

[DrBill100]

From what you have described it is impossible for you to have adulterated the sample in any way.

I'm thrown by the machine. EtG is almost always a lab based test that requires a chemical analyzer for even the first step. In order to analyze the sample properly requires a very large and complicated instrument known as LC/MS/MS only the larger commercial labs have them. It is a two step process.

I checked and can find no record of any Tennessee Court operating an EtG testing system??

[Valann8766]

From what you have described it is impossible for you to have adulterated the sample in any way.

I'm thrown by the machine. EtG is almost always a lab based test that requires a chemical analyzer for even the first step. In order to analyze the sample properly requires a very large and complicated instrument known as LC/MS/MS only the larger commercial labs have them. It is a two step process.

I checked and can find no record of any Tennessee Court operating an EtG testing system?????

It's still new, they implemented it starting jan 1, 2012. I'm not sure if its listed exactly their procedure, but from what I was told by the probation officer is that I would be called in for EtG urine testing at least once a week

[DrBill100]

It's still new, they implemented it starting jan 1, 2012. I'm not sure if its listed exactly their procedure, but from what I was told by the probation officer is that I would be called in for EtG urine testing at least once a week

I'm not sure what the problem is. An observed collection, you remain on-site for 5 hours, another observed collection and they claim it is your fault. Either I'm missing something or the collection>test process has a major flaw.

If you have a lawyer I would give him a call. I can't imagine a judge supporting a revocation under these circumstances but law isn't my specialty.